How Lions Plan to Limit QB Desmond Ridder, Falcons' Offense

Detroit Lions' defense must rebound in Week 3.

The Detroit Lions' defense should have confidence entering Week 3 against the Atlanta Falcons. 

Through the first two games, Aaron Glenn's defense has been respectable against the run. 

The challenges have surfaced attempting to limit the effectiveness of mobile quarterbacks. 

Dan Campbell addressed with reporters this week attempting to keep mobile quarterbacks in the pocket, as Falcons quarterback Desmond Ridder does have the ability to extend plays and rush the football. 

In two games, Ridder has rushed for 38 yards and a touchdown on 11 carries. Yet again, the Lions will be tasked with preventing the young passer from beating them with his legs. 

"There again, it’s about discipline. You go back and look at every one of the reps last week against Geno (Smith) where man, we had everybody doing their job and it’s, ‘Where’s the clean win?’ We didn’t have a clean win," said Campbell. "But even when everybody just does their responsibility, their gap, we wrap tight, we’re where we’re supposed to be, he’s got nowhere to go, it’s hard for him to make a throw out of there. 

"At some point, he’s just looking to run and he’s got nowhere to go. And it’s a reason why that third-and-18, he couldn’t, there was nowhere to go. We finally got him on the run. He can’t throw it. But when we did those last week, Geno had nowhere to go," Campbell explained further. "So, I think it goes back to, man, let’s just hone in on the discipline of it. If everybody would just stay disciplined and do your job, you don’t need to do more than that, and let the production come to you and not the other way around.”

Outside of Ridder, the Falcons offense features rookie running back Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier, which is a formidable duo Detroit's opponent will rely on on the road. 

"It's a one-two punch, totally two different styles and we’ve got to be ready to adapt quickly with the way they do it," said Campbell. "Now, back to what we’ve done, that was one of the focuses of let’s be better against the run, try to make teams more one-dimensional and we’ve done a pretty good job of that. This team will, they’re going to try to run the ball more than 30 times."